Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Avatar: The Way of Water

  • M. Night Shyamalan’s Latest Dethrones ‘Avatar 2’ After 7 Weeks

    M. Night Shyamalan’s Latest Dethrones ‘Avatar 2’ After 7 Weeks

    Avatar: The Way of Water has enjoyed quite the free range at the box office. No one wanted to even get close to what was definitely one of the biggest releases in 2022 and as it nears the global take of Titanic, it seems the film has finally been dethroned. The interesting part is that the one to do so was Knock at the Cabin by M. Night Shyamalan. His film opened at $14.2M in 3,643 theaters but also marks the lowest opening for a Shyamalan film.

    It seems like audiences aren’t quite enjoying the film as it has received a C CinemaScore, which is slightly below Old‘s C+ just a few years ago., which opened with $17M. So, Knock at the Cabin hasn’t had that big momentum that you’d hope to have to go into the weekend, but it still managed to dethrone a massive blockbuster so that’s something. Globally, it also opened to a soft $7M though these kinds of films normally leg out with a C CinemaScore may hold back.

    That wasn’t all this weekend as an experiment to slash ticket prices to attract older audiences has seemingly paid off with 80 for Brady pulling in $12.5M and taking the second spot. You read that correctly, Avatar: The Way of Water dropped down to third with a still impressive $10.8M in its eight weeks after holding on to the #1 title for seven weeks in a row; something only the previous Avatar entry managed.

    It should be noted that the 80 for Brady film also had more viewers than Knock at the Cabin at 1.3M. While it’s lower at the box office due to the lower ticket prices, it’s a promising showcase of one of the struggles that cinemas have nowadays. The tickets are continuing to get more expensive and audiences are becoming pickier to make sure it’s worth their run. So, reliable films like a Marvel Studios entry or something with strong word-of-mouth tend to pull in audiences.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Avatar 2’ Swims to Earn $2 Billion at the Worldwide Box Office

    ‘Avatar 2’ Swims to Earn $2 Billion at the Worldwide Box Office

    James Cameron is one-of-a-kind in how his films have a hold on the box office. After the groundbreaking success of his CG paradise with Avatar, he returns after a long hiatus to continue the franchise. All bets were off hoping for Avatar: The Way of Water to make as much money as it can at the box office, proving that there’s a lot more to get out of this film. Even Cameron was openly anxious about the risk going into the film’s release.

    Yet, now the film has managed to pass the $2 billion mark and now is only the sixth in film history to do so. It joins the ranks of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the last two Avengers films, and his own last two projects, Avatar and the Titanic. The film has seen a tremendous performance internationally and managed to pull in this accomplishment even with a subdued Chinese release.

    As of now, it’s expected to pass The Force Awakens and Infinity War at the box office, which would push it beyond $2.07B. The last Avatar film stands proudly at $2.9B while Avengers: Endgame is at $2.79B. It’s still unclear just how far Avatar: The Way of Water may go but there’s a chance it’ll pass Titanic‘s $2.19B.

    As of now, The Way of Water pulled in $598M domestically and $1.4B internationally. It’ll continue to dominate the box office until its first real competition arrives with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania which is sure to leave its own imprint on the box office.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Avatar 3’ Will See the Return of Payakan and His Nemesis from ‘The Way of Water’

    ‘Avatar 3’ Will See the Return of Payakan and His Nemesis from ‘The Way of Water’

    Avatar: The Way of Water introduced the world to some amazing new characters that continue to expand the world of Pandora. Yet, with hints at the story of the third entry pushing the Sully family to further explore what else is out there, it seemed like perhaps we won’t spend too much time with some familiar characters especially those attached to the water in The Way of Water.

    As it turns out, we’ll definitely see the return of two rather interesting characters. As pointed out by producer Jon Landau, the whale-like being known as Payakan will return, but “not just as a creature.” He goes on to highlight that they’ll “explore his relationship with Lo’ak.” So, it seems we’ll get to further explore his race and uncover something we may have not expected.

    The biggest surprise however is that Scoresby (Brendan Cowell) is also set to make a return. It’s interesting how villains simply don’t just stay down in this franchise. The arch-nemesis of Payakan lost his arm in the finale and was sent flying. For now, there’s no word though if he survived or we might even see the same memory transplant into an Avatar.

    Either way, it looks like the two will meet up once again for a fight that might see them fight each other in a new way. There’s definitely something interesting about how James Cameron tends to bring back characters from past iterations and continues to build them up. By the end of Avatar 5, we might have an army of former villains teaming up against the Sully family.

    Source: Empire

  • Marvel Studios and a Cinematic Déjà-Vu of 2022

    Marvel Studios and a Cinematic Déjà-Vu of 2022

    We’ve entered a new era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The franchise continues to grow in new ways while showing some slowdown in its box office development. The films are still successful and big hits, but they’re not taking the box office completely by storm. Discussions online are talking about a franchise that is “watering down” what it has to offer while general audiences according to the Internet are facing fatigue.

    Films are seemingly losing momentum at theaters as people question how the franchise can continue moving forward and likely end in the coming years. Two iconic franchises make a grand return and dominate theaters with stronger legs than any frontloaded Marvel film. Things are looking shaky for Marvel Studios after the release of Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man in 2015.

    Oh wait, it’s not 2015 but 2023 has just started. We’ve entered Phase 5 of the MCU with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania about to release in theaters. The only major difference is the effect of the pandemic has taken its toll on theaters during 2020 and 2021, the last year seemed like an uplifting new direction for cinema. We saw some truly great films ranging in variety with some surprise big hits in Top Gun Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water. Two nostalgia-filmed films making a comeback with a legacy sequel.

    Instead of enjoying this newfound momentum at the box office and in cinematic offerings, it feels like we’re retreading old ground once again. Marvel didn’t take the top spot this year at the box office and so we’re analyzing the sheer success of these two entries plus the Jurassic World threequel also banking on the nostalgia of a returning cast. It’s great to see these films flourish after years of uncertainty for non-IP-driven projects but there’s a feeling in the air that we’ve gone through this all again.

    2015 saw the release of two major legacy sequels. Jurassic World returned us to a dinosaur-filled world that we last saw in 1993; a sequel 22 years in the making. That same year, December saw the breakout release of Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens which brought us back to a true sequel of the iconic franchise just under new Disney leadership to pull in $2 billion worldwide over Christmas. Jurassic World didn’t do so shabby either with a strong $1.6B.

    Ironically, here we are again with Avatar: The Way of Water releasing in December under a now Disney-owned banner on its way to passing $2B with strong legs at the box office. Earlier in the year, Top Gun Maverick pulled in $1.4B at the box office as a sequel to a long-dormant franchise with a few more extra years on its back with Tom Cruise at the forefront selling the film.

    It feels like a strange sense of déjá-vu, especially if you take into account the discussions surrounding Marvel and superhero fatigue. While some points of these discussions have evolved, it’s still the same argumentation at its basis. Comparisons were drawn to how Marvel needs to evolve or take a step back; now especially popular with its Disney+ streaming offerings doing what many have begged the Netflix shows and ABC series do years ago.

    We have comparisons drawn to how Jurassic World makes a better showcase of franchise building than Marvel. It’s something a recent article does as well with Avatar: The Way of Water which is a hard comparison to make if you consider one has multiple franchises under its belt since 2008 and the other had its first sequel release after 13 years; as such only really getting started as a franchise. We have no idea if Avatar will work long-time as the charm of exploring Pandora could also one day lose its vanity.

    What we should learn and not repeat from 2015 is what these franchises can learn from each other. Long-running franchises always hit a slump but even Marvel Studios is back to performing as they did during Phase 2. Their last phase had that extra build-up momentum towards what was deemed a “finale” of sorts for the Infinity Saga. They also serve a very different purpose if seen as films. So, they can only learn and evolve from each other if we take the right lessons from everything rather than chasing coattails once again.

    Both franchises build familiarity in different ways. Marvel creates a cast of characters that draw in their audience and become selling points to try out new parts of their franchise. The MCU has always been misunderstood as one singular franchise, but in reality, it’s just the umbrella term for multiple franchises or ongoing stories. Yes, some crossovers can interrupt specific stories but we’ve seen the “you need to do your homework” complaint back in 2015 when people complained that “they could’ve just called the Avengers” in every self-contained story or franchise.

    Will Marvel run out of steam? At one point, it’s very likely but they still remain strong performers in the market. Even with a big drop in its second weekend, some of the MCU releases in 2022 showed stronger legs later on; something that surprised me even with the Disney+ re-release always imminent due to COVID’s influences on consumer behavior and Bob Chapek‘s desire to grow its streaming service no matter what.

    Yet, one cannot deny that it’s also the franchise that has shown the most growth throughout the years. There’s a reason it cannot be emulated, just as much as why Avatar’s performance won’t easily be replicated just because Marvel doesn’t release a film for a few years. They’re a production studio that works independently and has its own quotas to meet. James Cameron released a film in the 20th Century that also is responsible for many other franchises.

    If we compare 2022 and 2015, films with massive worldwide performances and impressive legs have something in common: nostalgia. They are legacy sequels to projects that have been long dormant. They make good use of familiar ground while adding some additional elements to still make them stand out. They feel like “self-contained” stories but they are also continuations that anyone can rewatch. Of course, it’s easier to just catch up on one film to get ready for another, but that tune changes once Avatar 7 releases and we have six almost three-hour films to catch up on.

    Of course, it’s conjecture to some degree but there’s still a curious thread of these major performers that are “leaving Marvel in the dust” with their strong box office legs. 2015 and 2022 are just so eerily similar with general discussions and it’s no wonder franchise fatigue would set in with a franchise that has been a consistent part since 2008. No one can blame them for feeling a bit overwhelmed at times and if the MCU still remains a strong performer, we’ll likely have this exact same discussion once Phase 8 kicks off with Stinger and the New Avengers.

  • ‘M3GAN’ Impresses With $30M+ at the Box Office, ‘Avatar 2’ Passes $500M Domestically

    ‘M3GAN’ Impresses With $30M+ at the Box Office, ‘Avatar 2’ Passes $500M Domestically

    M3GAN is a sure-fire hit, as the film has now even beaten its recent projections and is set to wrap up the weekend with $30.2M. Internationally it also pulled in $14.8M putting it at an impressive $45M for a PG-13 film. It’s quite an increase from its initial $17M projection and a great win for Blumhouse, who made back the $12M production budget in just its opening weekend. It’s also a good indicator of strong word-of-mouth that could carry it in the coming weeks even with Avatar: The Way of Water still dominating.

    There’s hope after all for January to potentially lose its death month status for most releases. It’s the first movie to perform this well since 2012’s Devil Inside, which had a slightly higher opening. Even during the pandemic, horror films have remained the most consistent performers and even pull in audiences throughout multiple weeks; making the discussion surrounding the definite showcase of the CinemaScore more and more difficult.

    Speaking of, The A CinemaScore film Avatar: The Way of Water had another strong fourth weekend, as it pulled in another $45M and has now made $516M in the United States. Most of its gross is internationally at $1.1B, but it seems likely that it’ll pass two billion in a week or at the latest in two. Most of the competition won’t hit until February. These kinds of legs normally go to films with the coveted A+ rating, but James Cameron films just operate differently. Still, it’s an optimistic start to 2022 which has a much better balance in what films are set to release throughout the year.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘M3GAN’ Surprises and Dehtornes ‘Avatar 2’s Friday Box Office

    ‘M3GAN’ Surprises and Dehtornes ‘Avatar 2’s Friday Box Office

    M3GAN is a surprise hit as the film is currently overperforming. Initially expected to make around $20M, the film is currently en route toward $28M. If it keeps up the performance with the horror classic B CinemaScore, there’s a chance it could even scratch the $30M. Of course, it’s not that easy with horror films that don’t leg out over the weekend, as they tend to have a stronger hold in the following weeks. It also doesn’t have any real competition so the film is definitely a success for Blumhouse.

    The big surprise, however, is that the film managed to dethrone Avatar The Way of Water on Friday. Yes, the monolith of a film was finally pushed out of its top seat even if just for a single day. M3GAN is still unlikely to win the weekend, but it’s something that the film can be proud of, especially in how Blumhouse made use of the empty January to release a fitting counterprogramming that pulls audiences in.

    January used to be an infamous dead zone for film releases but has become a popular horror release month. M3GAN almost covered its $12M budget with its opening day and is definitely going to end up profitable by the end of the weekend or early next week. Scream was released on January 13th last year and also managed to pull in quite some impressive numbers. Perhaps there’s a new market this month and Blumhouse is definitely going to make good use of it moving forward. You can read what we thought of M3GAN by clicking here.

    Source: Twitter

  • James Cameron Confirms ‘Avatar 2’s Profitability and He’ll Make All Planned Sequels

    James Cameron Confirms ‘Avatar 2’s Profitability and He’ll Make All Planned Sequels

    James Cameron has been quite open about the importance of how profitable Avatar: The Way of Water will be. While he mapped out up to five sequels, if the franchise doesn’t prove financially stable for Disney, the new owner of 20th Century, there’s no point for them to invest upwards of $400M per entry moving forward. Luckily, the film has had some truly impressive legs throughout the Holiday season and in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, director James Cameron confirmed the film will be profitable in the “next few days.”

    It looks like just with the momentum that the film has now that will easily pass our break even in the next few days, so it looks like I can’t wiggle out of this, I’m gonna have to do these other sequels.

    James Cameron

    He does slightly reluctantly share that he will be quite busy for the next few years. Avatar 3 has already finished filming and they are working on bringing the world to life CG-wise. He also confirms that the fourth and fifth entries are already written as well.

    I know what I’m going to be doing the next six or seven years. The point is we’re going to be okay. I’m sure that we’ll have a discussion soon with the top folks at Disney about the game plan going forward for Avatar 3, which is already in the can – we’ve already captured and photographed the whole film so we’re in extended post-production to do all that CG magic. And then Avatar 4 and 5 are both written. We even have some of 4 in the can. We’ve begun a franchise at this point. We’ve begun a saga that can now play out over multiple films.

    James Cameron

    It certainly sounds like the director will be quite busy in the next few years, but he does love the franchise. He’s also talked about expanding Avatar in multiple ways and even with a new director taking over when he eventually no longer can. So, if it remains as profitable, we’ll see a lot more of Avatar in the future of our cinemas.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘M3GAN’ Opens Strong, Unlikely to Dethrone ‘Avatar 2’

    ‘M3GAN’ Opens Strong, Unlikely to Dethrone ‘Avatar 2’

    The latest January horror release is upon us from Blumhouse Productions. The long-awaited M3GAN is finally in theaters, which showcases a modern take on Child’s Play with a PG-13 horror. The film has opened around 3,400 theaters in North America, and it’s opening to quite a strong start. The film was projected to make around $17M to $20M, an impressive start on a tiny $12M budget.

    As such, the film will likely make its money back internationally in the coming weeks and has a good chance of picking up the pace over the weekend if it ends up quite popular with audiences. The PG-13 rating could end up pushing the film further at the box office.

    As of now, the film has pulled in $2.75M in its Thursday previews, which sets it on the perfect path to reach its projects. Though it won’t beat Avatar: The Way of Water as the film has dominated theaters since its pre-Christmas release. The film is expected to have a soft 50% drop to around $30M, which would keep it at the top spot.

    M3GAN is playing the usual January counterprogramming strategy, as it’s generally a dead month for releases and has become quite popular for horror films. Most projects avoided Avatar‘s release in the Holidays, and this became quite profitable for the company, but M3GAN is hopefully going to start a strong 2023 release schedule that would push the box office to its usual legs from back in 2019. It seems unlikely it’ll revive that quickly, but each year the box office has been showing some growth.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Avatar’s Sequels May Potentially Face Some Delays

    ‘Avatar’s Sequels May Potentially Face Some Delays

    Avatar‘s first sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, has hit theaters and is making quite a splash. Just yesterday night, it managed to pass the one billion mark and is likely to continue making headway with some impressive box office legs. Of course, we already know that a third entry is already on the horizon but not everything seems as set in stone as initially hoped for by everyone involved.

    In an interview with The Wrap, director James Cameron reveals that they have everything mapped out up until the fifth entry of the Avatar series, but it does seem like they’re unlikely to hit their expected release dates; at least going by how Cameron hints at some uncertainties surrounding their production and wanting to give each entry a bit more time between the various sequels.

    They exist. These stories exist. We know exactly what we’re doing. We know what these movies are gonna be. We just have to go through the process of getting them done. So, you know ideally two years from now, [Avatar] 3 comes out. Ideally maybe 3 years after that 4 comes out and then ideally maybe a couple years after that 5 comes out. So we won’t be away from the market place, so we’ll have that sense of a persistent world and ongoing story that I think people want. If they’re going to invest in these characters, they’re going to invest in this world, we want to give it to them in a regular cadence, ideally, and that was the game plan. That’s one of the reasons we were gone so long.

    James Cameron

    There’s always a risk when trying to adapt a franchise and Avatar so far has been quite the untested waters (pun intended) for Disney. It’s a high-investment franchise and if they want to make more sequels, it’ll be quite expensive to roll those out while also trying to ensure they remain profitable. As it stands, Avatar: The Way of Water seems to be heading in a good direction but no one can blame them for waiting it out a bit.

    Source: The Wrap

  • ‘Avatar 2’ Set to Pass a Billion Tonight

    ‘Avatar 2’ Set to Pass a Billion Tonight

    The time has already arrived, as Avatar: The Way of Water is seemingly already on its way to passing a billion. After taking in $955M on Monday, the film now stands to pass the billion-dollar mark by the end of the day this Tuesday. James Cameron‘s latest film once again proves the value of the international box office as well as his usual strong legs. Combine all that with a very convenient Christmas free of competition.

    At the moment, its split is $293.2M domestic with a good chance of potentially reaching the $400M mark by the end of its run. Internationally is where most o the investment stand at $661.9M with the additional push of China. In a year where science fiction has been struggling quite a bit, the film is that last glimpse of potential going into the end of the year.

    As of now, the film’s strongest markets are China at $104.5M, France at $60.5M, Korea’s $55.4M, and Germany stands at an impressive $41.5M. So, here’s the big question of just how far the film will make it. There’s still a chance that it could reach two billion, but while its Christmas momentum has been impressive it’s unclear if that will fully carry over.

    avatar billion, it needs to make a lot of money, or else the investment for future installments might end up being questioned. If it passes two billion remains a question in the upcoming weeks but it’s still looking like a strong box office run no matter what, especially with it already passing a billion by tonight.

    Source: Deadline